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A PEREGIAN coffee shop manager is frustrated at what he calls inequality in council fees for footpath dining across the Sunshine Coast.

Kirk Edington, from Shanghai Sally's in popular Peregian Square, said he had received a bill of more than $6000 for an area of 39sq m with 12 chairs.

A restaurant with the same set-up of 12 chairs in Maroochydore would pay a fee of $1092, regardless of the area occupied.

"If (the price) was per chair or per table, it would be okay," Mr Edington said.

"But when you've got 39sq m and they're charging you per metre for a place with 12 chairs, then it's a concern."

The current complex fee structure exists as a remnant of the three former Coast councils before amalgamation.

The Maroochy Shire and Caloundra City councils had one fee rate across their areas, while Noosa Shire had eight different fees for specific business zones.

The Caloundra and Noosa shires determined the fee on a per square metre basis, while the former Maroochy Shire fee was levelled on a per chair basis.

As a result, Peregian businesses such as Shanghai Sally's today pay $155 per square metre while those in the former Maroochy shire pay $91.40 per chair.

Businesses in the former Caloundra City area pay an annual permit fee of $96 per square metre.

A council spokeswoman said council had maintained the fee structure across the areas as many fees would rise if they all were brought into alignment, imposing a financial burden on small businesses already struggling.

"This current fee structure mechanism is also one permit holders throughout the former shires are familiar with," she said.

However, Division 11 councillor Russell Green said the council would review the outdoor dining fee structure across the Coast within the next two weeks.

He said although he could not comment on whether changes would result, he would "like to see a fee structure that is simpler and easier to understand".

He said outdoor dining was essential to the Coast experience.

"I am a strong advocate of the use of outdoor dining across the region," he said. "Outdoor dining is the Coast. I don't like it done cheaply and tacky."

Mr Edington said he had been asked to remove 12 chairs from the footpath outside Shanghai Sally's this month for late payment of the outdoor dining fee.

He said the restaurant's bottom line had suffered since with coffee consumption dropping from 18kg of beans to 12kg in one week.